Main card set for UFC 153 in Brazil, tickets on sale this week

The fight card for the UFC’s return to Brazil has been finalized, and tickets for the event go on sale this week.

The event, “UFC 153: Aldo vs. Koch,” takes place Oct. 13 at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The main card airs live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT). A two-hour prelims special airs on FX at 8 p.m. ET, and Facebook is expected to stream an additional three bouts.

UFC 153 features a main event featherweight title fight between Brazilian champion Jose Aldo and top contender Erik Koch, as well as a co-main event middleweight fight between Vitor Belfort and Alan Belcher. Additionally, the event features a light-heavyweight bout between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Glover Teixeira.

Tickets for the card start at $275 Brazilian Real (approximately $136 U.S.) and go up to $1,800 Real (about $892 U.S.). Tickets go on sale to the general public Thursday at 7 p.m. ET at www.ticketsforfun.com.br.

The card will be the UFC’s third at HSBC Arena and fourth in Brazil in a little more than a year. The promotion went to the South American country a year ago for the first time under Zuffa ownership for UFC 134. In January, the promotion returned to HSBC Arena for UFC 142, which also was headlined by Aldo in a successful title defense against Chad Mendes. And this past June, UFC 147 took place in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Aldo (21-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Koch (13-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) originally were expected to headline UFC 149 in Calgary this past month, but Aldo was sidelined with a knee injury that forced the postponement. He’ll come into the bout with a 14-fight win streak, including three title defenses in the UFC against Mark Hominick, Kenny Florian and Mendes. Koch last fought in September 2011, a unanimous decision win over Jonathan Brookins. He was expected to return in February, but was shelved with an injury, and then was put on hold again when Aldo had to delay the title fight.

Belfort (21-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC) meets Belcher (18-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) in the co-main event in a bout that could have middleweight title implications. Belfort was supposed to fight fellow Brazilian Wanderlei Silva after their coaching stints on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil.” But a broken hand forced him out of UFC 147 in June. Belfort has won seven of his last eight, with the only loss coming to champion Anderson Silva at UFC 126. Belcher, meanwhile, delivered a big TKO win over Rousimar Palhares in May at UFC on FOX 3.

Jackson (32-10 MMA, 7-4 UFC) may be fighting for the final time in the UFC if he lives up to what he has said in the past couple of months. The former champion is on the last fight of his current contract, and he has vowed to leave the promotion after this bout and fight elsewhere if he has to. Teixeira (18-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in May won his promotional debut in fairly stunning fashion, submitting Kyle Kingsbury in the first round.

Also on the main card, Jon Fitch (23-4-1 MMA, 13-2-1 UFC) returns for the first time since a December 12-second knockout loss to Johny Hendricks and meets Erick Silva (14-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC), and Demian Maia (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) fights for the second time at welterweight when he takes on Rick Story (14-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC).

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